Is it normal to menstruate 2 times a month? (and 9 other common questions)

Menstruation is a bleeding that normally occurs in women once a month, as a result of the flaking of the inner lining of the uterus, the endometrium. Generally, the first menstruation happens between 9 and 15 years of age, with the average age being 12 years old, and it only stops occurring at menopause, close to 50 years of age.

The female reproductive system works every month to produce and eliminate an egg, that is, it prepares itself to become pregnant. If the woman has no contact with a sperm, there will be no fertilization and, about 14 days after the egg is released, menstruation appears. Thereafter, each month, a new cycle begins, so that the uterus is prepared again for a new ovulation and that is why menstruation comes down every month.

1. How long does menstruation last?

Each menstruation lasts approximately 4 to 7 days, but the interval between one menstruation and another lasts an average of 28 days, which can vary from 25 to 45 days, being influenced by factors such as stress, hormonal changes, illnesses or simply the existence of a irregular menstruation. Menstruation that lasts 8 days or more is considered prolonged, but it cannot be considered a period that comes in just 1 day, in which case it is likely to be an escape bleed.

Calculate your menstrual cycle by entering your data below:

2. Is it normal to menstruate twice a month?

It may be normal for menstruation to come twice a month with shorter cycles, especially in the first months, as the young woman's body is still organizing itself at the hormonal level. It can also happen that menstruation becomes very irregular and comes more than 1 time in the month after delivery, in the first menstrual cycles. In more mature women, this change can be caused by:

• Uterine fibroids; Excessive stress; Cancer; Polycystic ovaries; Ovarian cyst; Use of some medicines; Hormonal and emotional changes; Ovarian surgery and tubal ligation.

So, if this change happens too often, it is important to inform the gynecologist about the specific days when menstruation came and all associated symptoms, so that you can identify the cause of the menstrual imbalance.

3. What can delay menstruation be?

Delayed menstruation in women with an active sex life is usually soon associated with pregnancy, but this is not always true. Factors such as ovarian cysts, diseases in the uterus, anemia, psychological changes such as depression and anxiety, changes in routine, poor eating habits, unbalanced diets or even the stress of thinking that it may be a pregnancy, may be responsible for the delay menstruation. If this happens regularly, for many months, a gynecologist should be sought to better assess the possible cause of the delay.

Better understand the main causes that can cause missed or delayed menstruation.

4. What can cause irregular menstruation?

Irregular menstruation can occur in the first two years after the first menstruation, as the body is still learning to deal with hormones, which it usually regularizes after the age of 15. In these cases, some home remedies that help regulate menstruation can be used.

However, if there is a marked and constant irregularity of the menstrual flow, it should be analyzed, as it can interfere with the ovulation process. Among the most common causes are the presence of tumors, cysts, imbalance in hormonal production and stress. Treatment is based on the daily use of pills to regulate menstrual flow, helping to balance any failure in hormone production, but each case must be evaluated by the gynecologist.

5. Is it possible to have menstruation during pregnancy?

Menstruation in early pregnancy is very common and can happen in the first three months. It is also called escape bleeding, as female hormones are used to working to make menstruation happen, and even though she is pregnant, bleeding sometimes happens, making the woman discover the pregnancy only later.

Other causes that can cause bleeding in pregnancy are:

• Adherence of the fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus; More intense sexual intercourse; Transvaginal ultrasound or touch examination; In cases of assisted reproduction; Use of anticoagulant medications, such as heparin or aspirin; Presence of fibroids or polyps; Infection in the vagina or in the cervix; Start of labor if the pregnancy is more than 37 weeks old.

If bleeding happens from one of these causes, it is possible that the doctor recommends rest for a few days and that the woman avoids having sex until the bleeding stops.

In some women, especially when the volume of blood is very large or accompanied by colic, it can be a miscarriage and should be treated urgently. Learn how to identify when bleeding in pregnancy is severe.

6. How is postpartum menstruation?

Postpartum menstruation will depend on whether or not the woman is breastfeeding. After the baby is born, the woman has a bleed that can last up to 30 days, varying according to each organism and the circumstances the woman is subjected to. Mothers who breastfeed exclusively can go for up to 1 year without menstruating, but if they do not breastfeed, they can have regular menstrual cycles the following month after delivery. The most common is that the return of menstruation is irregular, being able to come early and more than once a month, but within 3 to 6 months she should be more regulated, as it was before becoming pregnant.

7. What can be dark menstruation?

Black, brown or "coffee grounds" menstruation can occur for a variety of causes, including:

• Change of birth control pill; Hormonal changes due to medications; Stress and psychological factors; Sexually transmitted diseases; Diseases such as fibroids and endometriosis; Possible pregnancy.

However, it is also common for some women to have their periods darker in the last 2 days, without needing to be a sign of a problem. Learn about the top 5 causes of dark menstruation.

8. Is menstruation with clots normal?

Clot menstruation can happen on days when the flow is very intense, causing blood to clot before leaving the woman's body. It is a very common situation, but if blood clots appear very large or in high numbers it is important to consult the gynecologist.

Better understand in what situations menstruation can come with pieces.

9. What does weak or very dark menstruation mean?

Very weak menstruation, like water, and very strong menstruation, like coffee grounds indicate hormonal changes that must be evaluated by the gynecologist.

10. Is menstruation good for your health?

Menstruation is an event that is repeated every month in women of childbearing age, it is not harmful to health and is physiological and expected. It occurs due to the female menstrual cycle, which goes through different times throughout the month.

Under normal conditions, menstruation is not bad for your health, but it can be said that heavy menstruation in anemic women can cause more complications, in which case, it may be indicated to use the continuous use pill to avoid menstruation.